Chiropractic table



Dec. 25 1923.

E. BOWMAN CHIROPRACTIC TABLE Filed March 28 1922 nannies ea. as, 1923.

entra n stares ELVA BOWMAN, 1 FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

onrnoranorro TABLE Application filed March 28,1322. Serial No. 547,436.

1 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELVA BOWMAN, a subject of the King of Great Britain,and resident of Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ChiropracticTables, of which the following is a specification. o 1

This invention relates to improvements in chiropractic tables,especially; the means for supporting the head, sternum and abdomen, andthe object thereof is to provide a face rest that may be adjustablytilted longitudinally and also adjustably raised and lowered relative tothe sternum support.

Another object is to provide a flexible shield for the gap between thesternum and abdominal supports which will not interfere with therelative movements thereof so as to prevent portions of the patientsbody from becoming wedged the'rebetween.

And a further object is to provide means for the support of the handsofthe patient so arranged that the patients arms will be extended in astate of relaxation.

The above objects are accomplished by the construction illustrated inthe accom panying drawings in which t Fig. 1 is a side elevation of'thehead pedestal of a table having embodied therein the present invention,parts being shown in central section; I

Fig. 2 is a front end elevation projected from Fig. 1; and

.Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same, a portion of the shield being brokenaway.

The characters appearing in the description refer to parts shown in thedrawings and designated thereon bycorresponding characters.

The invention consists of a head frame 1 in which is hinged a swingingshelf 2- having upon its rear end an abdominal support 3. 'Theconstruction of the abdominal support and the mechanism 4 that sustainsits shelf is similar to the construction shown in my previousapplication for improvements in chiropractic tables,'Serial Number479,751, filed June 28, 1921. However, the particular manner ofyieldingly sustaining the abdominal support in normal position isimmaterial to the present invention as other mechanism may besubstituted which would be capable of properly sustaining the shelf.

Upon the upper end of the frame 1, at the rear thereof is a cross piece5 to. which is hinged a pair of sternum rests 6 which are spaced apartand which are normally sustained in position bycorresponding studs 7that project upwardly from the shelf 2.

A flexible shield .8 is secured along its forward edge to the forwardedges of the sternum rests and extends over the sternum and abdominalrestsand is suspended acrossthe gap therebetween. The shield has a slot9 in its forward middle portion exposing the space between the sternumrests which is intended to afford freedom for the throat of the patient.The rear portion of the shield lies loosely over the abdominal rest andserves to sustainthe breasts of the patient at the gap between thesternum and abdominal supports. 3 v

A movable frame 10 is supported above the frame 1, at its front end uponavertically adjustable prop '11 and at its rear portion upon a pairofswinging brackets 12. The rearend of each bracket ispivoted in the frame1, and the front'ends of the brackets are connectedby across rod 13 thatextends through a bifurcated block 14 which is adjustably positioned ina vertical slot15 in the prop 11, there being a thumbscrew 16 inconnection with the, block for holding it in adjusted positions. Eachbracket 12 has an upwardly extending arm. 17 that has pivotal supportingconnection with the frame 10. The prop 11 has adjustable supportingconnection at its lower end in the frame 1, there being a cleat 18on'theprop for engaging cleats 19 in the frame so that the prop is sustainedin its various positions. T

The movable frame 10 has fixed at each end thereof an angle iron. 20which loosely engages in the corresponding ends of an pair oftransversely slidable plates 21, and upon each of said plates is hingeda face rest 22 which is longitudinally disposed. Also, upon the frame10' is secured a block 23 in the center thereof and extending up to theplane of the plates 21. The face rests, when moved to central positionby shifting the plates 21, extend over the block 23 which prevents therests from being tilted when in that position.

- Upon each side of the frame 1 is secured a horizontal hand-rail 24,the forward end of which is looped outwardly so that its inturnedterminal 25 will accommodate the full width of the hand and form a resttherefor. a a

In using the invention the movable frame is adjustably raised or loweredand the face 7 its forward end.

' When the patient is being given an ad justment the abdominal supportbecomes depressed and the sternum rests become tilted, and the fiexibleshield sustains the breasts of the patient above the gap betweenthesternum" rests and the abdominal support, thus avoiding injury of themembers.

' The elongated hand-rails permit the patient t'o supporthimself whileassuming the customary posture upon the table, after which, byslidingthe hands forwardly along a 7 'wardly; and a block on the frameadapted .to engage and sustain the face rests in horizontal positionwhen the plates are moved the rails to the looped ends, the arms thereby become fully extended which invites relaxation and induces thepatient to lie prone upon the apparatus.

What I claim is g 1. In a chiropractic table, a'frame; a verticallymovable yieldingly sustained abdominal support; a pair of sternum restsspaced apart on the frame adjacent the abdominal support; a flexibleshield secured to the sternum rests and extending loosely over theabdominal support; a vertically adjustable prop at the front of theframe; a

' blockvertically adjustable on the prop;

pair of brackets pivotally supported at the rear of the frame and havingsustained relation with 'said'block; and a head supporting'meanssustained at its forward end upon .theprop'and at its. rear portion uponsald brackets.

'2. In a chiropractic table a frame; a verticallyadjustable prop at thefront of the frame; an adjusting member movable on the prop; a swingingmember pivotally supported on the frame at the rear end and havingsupported relation at its forward end with said adjusting member; and ahead supporting member sustained at one end by theprop and at itsopposite end upon the swinging member.

3. In a chiropractic table a head supporting member; a verticallyadjustable prop sustaining the front end of said member; and a swingingmember sustaining the rear end of the former member and adjustableconnection with the prop.

4. In a chiropractic table, a frame; a head supporting member; avertically adjustable prop sustaining one end of'the member; and meansadjustably connected with the' prop and pivotally connected 'n the frameand having. supporting relation with the opposite end of the headsupporting member.

5. In a chiropractic table; a frame; a pair of plates longitudinallydisposed and later I 'allyadjustable in the frame; a pair of face restshinged respectively onthe correspond ing plates and'being adapted to betilted inwardly when the plates are moved outinwardly- V 4 6. Inachiropractic table a frame; a pair of parallel face rests longitudinallydisposed ;a pair'of correspondingsternum rests adjacent the rear ends ofthe face rests, said sternum rests being spaced apart; a yield inglysustained abdominal support adjacent said sternum rests; and a flexibleshield ex- 7 V tending over the sternum rests and abdominal support andhaving a slot in its forward portion between the sternum rests. I

7. In a chiropractic table, a longitudinally disposed hand railextending along each side of thetable at the head portion thereof andhaving a looped portion at the front end thereof forming ahandholdl Intestimony whereof I affix my signature.

in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses I MATILDA .METTLER; W. G. Bonus."

'ELVA BOWMAN.

